In the manufacture of hollow glass items, a forming machine is known comprising a rough mold for receiving one or more molten-glass gobs; and a finish mold for completing the semifinished item/s formed in the rough mold. The rough mold is flanked by various independent operating units, each for performing a given function, and in particular: a funnel function to guide the glass gobs from a dispenser into the rough mold; a closing function to close the top opening of the rough mold; and a blowing function to exert thrust on the glass gob fed into the rough mold, to settle the glass gob on the bottom of the rough mold. In addition to the above functions, the machine is fitted with auxiliary mold treating units, e.g. for removing deposits from, and lubricating, the inner surface of the rough mold.
In known machines, each of the above units has its own dedicated supporting structure connected to a common fixed supporting frame, close to the rough mold, and is operated by a respective dedicated actuator independent of the other actuators and, in most cases, at least partly housed inside the relative supporting structure. Most of the actuators comprise at least one pneumatic or hydraulic component, while others comprise mechanical actuating cams.
Though widely used, known forming machines find it increasingly difficult to meet current market demand in terms of increasingly fast output rates, fast machine assembly and reconfiguration for production and/or mold changes, easy control and performance of the various functions, and weight and size reduction.